Friday, January 27, 2017

SMUGGLER’S BOUNTY AND OTHER STUFF

There is no overriding theme to today’s “this and that” bloggy. I have a list of potential subjects and I’ll pick them out at random until the column gets close to 1500 words or so.

Earlier this week, I wrote about the DC Comics Legion of Collectors box from Funko. I also subscribe to Funko’s Marvel Collectors Corps and Stan Lee boxes. To thank me and other subscribers, Funko sent us all a present: the Star Wars Smuggler’s Bounty box.

The box contained two Pop figures - Captain Phasma (Chrome) and Tie Fighter Pilot - a Captain Phasma t-shirt, a TIE pilot patch, a Kylo Ren pin and a lanyard with a First Order Stormtrooper Pop pictured throughout. Like the other Funko items I’ve received, these looked great and were well-made. If this gift box had any failings, it was the lack of any material describing/explaining its contents...and any material on how to subscribe to future Star Wars boxes.

To be honest, I won’t be subscribing to the Star Wars boxes. While I like Star Wars quite a bit, I’m more into Star Trek. I’m more a science guy than a mysticism/religion guy. But, even though I like Star Trek better, I wouldn’t subscribe to any Star Trek box either. My true passions lie with comic books and comics creators. Though if Funko launched Godzilla and other kaiju subscription boxes, I’d sign up in a heartbeat.

I have no idea of the financial basis for these subscription boxes. Could they profitable if the subjects weren’t so vast as Star Wars and Star Trek and DC Comics and Marvel Comics and Stan Lee? Could something like a Big Bang Theory box sell enough units to make some money? Or boxes devoted to The Asylum, home of Sharknado and other fun features? I’m sure my bloggy thing readers could come up with dozens of other ideas without breaking a sweat.

Those three bimonthly boxes I’ve subscribed to represent a cost of $500 a year plus shipping. It’s not an inconsequential expense for me, but the boxes bring me great joy and joy is something I know I will need in Peepee Cheeto’s Amerika. For me to subscribe to more boxes, well, they would have to be pretty darn special.

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Speaking of subscription boxes...

As I was putting away the Legion of Collectors box, I saw a label on the box I hadn’t noticed before:

Now I’m wondering if I’ll still be able to get my boxes once Peepee Cheeto builds his wall on the U.S./Mexican border.

Just kidding. I’m not actually worried. However, I do think anyone who voted for President Cheeto should hold their breath until the wall is built and Mexico has paid for it. Because that would make America great again. For real.

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Next Tuesday, The Flash will introduce the TV show’s version of the DC Comics heroine Gypsy. Thankfully, the character doesn’t share the stereotypical “gypsy” look of her comic-book counterpart. Which hasn’t stopped some folks from complaining about the use of a name that some consider a pejorative.

I confess I never thought of “gypsy” as an insult in and of itself. I got “woke” on this issue when, at a convention, a fan of Romani descent complained about the depiction of his people in comic books and was answered (by a writer of comics) with a horribly bigoted tirade against his people. I was both shocked and saddened by the incident.

I did some research on my own. I had known the Romani had suffered harsh discrimination in the past and learned such bigotry was not “in the past.” It exists today and continues to cause anguish and suffering and harm to the Romani people. If the Romani think of the word “gypsy” as an insult, I’m with them on the matter. Except in a historical context, I won’t use the word...and I certainly won’t dress a modern-day Romani character in the stereotypical outfits.

I love DC’s TV series. The people who make them are big fans of the comic books, so I understand why they would use the name “Gypsy” in 2017. I understand it, but I think they made the wrong call there. If the character turns out to be a recurring one, her name should be changed at the earliest opportunity.

I’m sure the alt-right Nazis who read comic books and watch these TV shows and occasionally visit this blog will decry my comments. They will call me a “social justice warrior.” But, as I posted on my Facebook page and on Twitter a while back:

I love how you call me a social justice warrior and are too dumb to realize that's not an insult.

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A fan asked what languages I read and/or speak. Sad to say, I have a relatively good command of English and that’s it. I’ve never been good at learning languages. In high school, Latin was easy but, ya know, a dead language. In my exceedingly brief time in college, all I recall from my French classes is that the teacher looked like Sue Storm as drawn by Gil Kane.

If I could learn another language, my first choice would probably be Japanese. Which I would use for trivial pursuits like Godzilla movies and anime and manga.

The most useful languages that I could learn would be Chinese and Spanish. The former because China could yet be our new master and the latter because so many Americans speak it.

For the reading of comics and graphic novels, I’d consider French, Italian and Swedish. For the ability to insult Peepee Cheeto in the language of his masters...Russian. It might also be good to learn whatever language it is that Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer have been speaking.

Never mind all of the above. What I’d really like to be able to do is talk with the animals of the land, sea and air. If these animals were willing to help stop President Cheeto and the Republicans, I would promise to never dress them in “cute” outfits and even stop eating them.

Because you should never eat your allies. Unless, of course, you’re a Republican. Then, by all means, dig in.

Yes, I did receive the memo about finding common ground with these fellow Americans of ours. But, like the NRA and its flunkies keep saying whenever there’s a mass shooting, I don’t think this is the proper time to discuss the tragedy of Cheeto’s election.

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Quick quiz. Off the top of your head, name twelve favorite captains from popular fiction. In alphabetical order, mine would be...

I may throw a few more of these quick quizzes at you in the future. If you have suggestions for them, please send them to me via e-mail or post them as a comment to today’s bloggy.

All comments have to be approved by the Master of the Bloggy Thing before they appear, but I’ll review and post them as swiftly as possible. I love hearing from you and I love sharing those comments with your fellow bloggy thing readers.

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Here’s one of those free ideas I occasionally throw out to you, my beloved readers...

IT’S YOUR BLOG, CHARLIE BROWN!

What would a blog written by the Peanuts character be like? Could you do it as an animated special or graphic novel?

I would surely follow such a blog, watch such an animated special, buy such a graphic novel. Because the world can always use a little bit more Peanuts magic.

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That’s all for now. I’m taking the weekend off, but I’ll be back on Monday with one of my “State of the Tony” reports that will update you on my convention and other appearances...and also talk about some of the other stuff going on in my “interesting” life. See you then.